Getting Close
by Dr Death DST
Summary: While Shepard is losing her mind, Specialist Traynor sets her sights on Ashley. If Shepard can hold it together long enough, she may be able to help Traynor in her endeavor to win Ashley's heart. If you're a fan of yuri, this is for you.
1. Chapter 1

Samantha Traynor performed her job well on the Normandy. She kept Shepard up to date with the latest intelligence from the Alliance brass and the council. Between major missions, there was plenty of downtime as they retrieved random artifacts for perfect strangers. Lately, Samantha heard whispers around the CIC that the commander could be losing her mind.

"Do you really think this obilisk will help the volus fight better?" asked Ashley as she walked out of the elevator with Shepard.

"Of course Ash. I heard someone say it would," said Shepard before approaching the star map.

"Who?"

"This guy on the Citadel. He said it was around here!"

Ashley shook her head and drew a heavy sigh. "Every time we go pinging around a star system the reapers come after us."

"Pshaw, not like they ever catch us," said Shepard staring into the map.

"Liara is worried about you," said Ashley taking a step toward Shepard. The commander was gripping the star map's railing so hard her knuckles turned white. "Maybe you should lay down..."

"NO! I don't need any sleep. Every time I go to sleep, I see that little shit-head kid. He runs in slow motion but I can never keep up. Then he catches on fire! And the whispers! They're always whispering to me but I don't understand what they're saying!" Shepard looked insane. Her red hair was a tangled mess and her green eyes brightened as they darted around the room.

Samantha quietly radioed Liara's room, "Hey Liara, you might want to get up to the CIC, Shepard's becoming unstable again."

"Just calm down skipper," said Ashley backing away slowly. By now, everyone in the CIC was staring at Shepard.

Shepard slammed her fists down on the railing. "Don't you people get it?! Everyone has to be at one hundred percent readiness. We have to build the crucible to defeat the reapers. It's going to... to... Alright I'll say it! I don't know what it does! NOBODY knows what it does! The Alliance's ace in the hole is an ancient untested machine! We're all screwed! We're all FUCKED!"

Liara came flying out of the elevator shouting, "Shepard, Shepard, take it easy!"

The sight of Liara made Shepard stop yelling and transition into a crazed giggle. "Hey Liara, the blue light of my life."

"You're scaring the crew," said Liara, her eyes pleading for Shepard to return to normal.

Taking a good look at all of the wide-eyed faces around her, Shepard became sheepish. "I'm sorry everyone. I'm, just tired."

"Let's go up to your quarters," said Liara offering her hand. "Ashley can handle the planet scanning."

"That's right skipper. I'll look after the Normandy," said Ashley placing a hand on the commander's shoulder.

Shepard mumbled something as Liara led her back into the elevator. The CIC remained silent for an awkward moment. Ashley went to the star map and cleared her throat. "Attention everyone, obviously the commander isn't feeling well so I'll be the XO until futher notice. Let's just carry on with our task."

The crew did as they were told but an uneasy feeling hung in the air like nerve gas. Everyone still felt the sting of the commander's insanity as it wore on their own confidence in the mission. Samantha felt unnerved by the whole ordeal and unable to speak. If the commander was losing it; what chance did the rest of them have?

"Any messages specialist?" asked Ashley.

"Oh, um yes, this one is addressed to you actually," said Samantha fumbling with her console. "Looks like it's from your sister."

"Good, forward it to my omni-tool," said Ashley.

"Done," replied Samantha. Their eyes met for moment causing her to blush. Ashley didn't seem to notice. She was the specialist's third crush on the Normandy. The first was EDI, which ended when EDI turned out to be an AI. Then came Shepard who was already with Liara. Now Samantha had her eyes fixed on the lovely lieutenant commander.

"Was there anything else?" asked Ashley when she realized Samantha was still looking at her.

"Uh, no, sorry," said Samantha turning her head quickly to stare at the console.

"I'm going to read this in my room. Notify me if anything happens," said Ashley before heading to the elevator.

"Aye-aye." Samantha shamelessly watched Ashley's backside as she walked away. _Say something to her damn it._ In truth, Ashley intimidated her. She was afraid of being turned down or disappointed a third time. Still, she needed to try at least. Walking after her, Samantha caught Ashley in the elevator.

"What is it specialist?"

"I uh, really like your hair," said Samantha with a cheesy smile.

"Oh, thanks," said Ashley looking embarrassed by the compliment.

The doors closed cutting the conversation awkwardly short. Samantha bumped her forehead on the double door saying, "Idiot." _I was less flakey in high school._ It was better than staying silent at least but not by much. There had to be someway she could get close to Ashley.

A/N: Why this pair? Well, why not? As of today there's only one other fanfic with this pair. Even though it's an unlikely pair, I want to write this fic for that one person out there who might be a fan of this pairing.


	2. Chapter 2

Samantha held her breath as she knocked on Shepard's door. "Permission to enter ma'am?"

"Permission granted," called Shepard.

A couple days had passed since the commander's meltdown. Ashley was still temporarily running the ship. The crew didn't seem to mind but they kept asking questions about Shepard's mental state. Her quarters were in order. The bed was made, the fish were alive, and the air smelled clean. Undoubtedly due to Liara's help. Shepard sat at her desk hunched over an unfinished model ship.

"How are you feeling?" asked Samantha. Stepping closer, her nose picked up a hint of super glue and cheap plastic.

"Fan-fucking-tastic," said Shepard without looking away from her model.

"What are you building there?"

"Turian cruiser, Liara picked it up for me. Building model ships helps me to take my mind off of... things," explained Shepard. Using a small knife, she scraped away excess plastic flakes from the body of the ship.

"I see," said Samantha eyeing the large glass case full of completed ships. "That's a nice model of the Citadel, oh and it rotates too."

"Yeah, Tali put that one together and added a little motor. I guess quarians feel obligated to make everything electrical," said Shepard. While sawing off a stubborn piece of plastic, her hand slipped. The knife cut her finger drawing a single droplet of blood. Shepard winced and licked the blood off.

"Gross, why do people do that?" asked Samantha at the thought of tasting blood.

"Do what?"

"Lick their wounds."

"I don't know, better than getting it on your clothes," said Shepard reaching for a tissue to wrap her finger in. Letting out an annoyed huff, she asked, "Why are you here Traynor?"

"I just had a question," said Samantha growing nervous.

"Shoot."

"You're Ashley's best friend aren't you commander?"

"Yeah. We've been through a lot together, from Eden Prime to the final battle on the Citadel. She's like a sister to me. Why? Is something wrong with the ship?" Shepard stood from her chair looking tense.

"No, nothing's wrong," said Samantha quickly. Letting out a nervous laugh she continued, "Since you know her so well, you wouldn't happen to know if she's... bi?"

A big smile grew across the commander's face. "Interested in the lieutenant eh?"

"Yes, actually," said Samantha.

"Well, I've never asked her and she's never approached me so it's hard to say. I've never seen her date anyone in all the time I've known her. You should just ask her," said Shepard going back to her model.

Samantha walked closer to the model case leaning against it. Staring at the floor she contemplated the idea. "I couldn't, everytime I'm around her I get flustered like a teenager. It's embarrassing really."

"You had no problem approaching me," said Shepard while dabbing two connecting joints with glue.

"You're more approachable. Ashley tends to keep to herself on the observation deck. Usually she doesn't have a lot to say either," said Samantha. She rubbed her shoulder uncomfortably while watching Shepard pick up the small knife.

"Then I'll ask her for you," said Shepard.

"No, don't do that," Samantha blurted. "She'll think I'm a coward, even if she's not interested."

Shepard put down the knife looking annoyed again. "Well, you've got to ask her somehow."

"We never get time to talk. I know romance is a silly thing to think about at a time like this but I can't help it. We are still human after all," said Samantha feeling frustrated with herself.

A minute passed by as Shepard stayed concentrated on the model. During that time she came up with a plan. Leaning back in her chair she stretched her arms out then put them behind her head. Looking up at Samantha she said, "Tell you what, ask Ashley to teach you how to fire an assault rifle. I'll have her take you to the spectre shooting range on the Citadel. It's fairly private, and most likely no one else will be there."

"I'm not a spectre though," said Samantha.

"But Ashley is, as long as you're with her it shouldn't be a big deal," said Shepard.

"Okay, the thing is, I already know how to fire a rifle. I learned in bootcamp," said Samantha. Shepard's plan left her feeling uneasy. Surely Ashley would see right through this ploy.

"Ashley doesn't need to know that. Just act clueless, this way she'll have to take you multiple times," said Shepard with an evil smile.

"I don't know..." Samantha bit her bottem lip staring at her feet.

Shepard stood up and took the specialist by the shoulders saying, "Where's your sense of adventure Traynor? We all might be dead at the end of this war so there's no point in holding back."

For moment Samantha felt too nervous to say anything. What Shepard said was true though. "Alright, I'll do it. I've got nothing to lose right?"

"That's right, now go get her!" said Shepard then slapped Samantha on the ass as she went to leave.

The specialist's face turned bright red as she hurried to the elevator. Shepard stood there for a moment when she was alone. Putting her hands on her hips she looked around speaking out loud. "Now what the hell was I doing... oh yeah, ship building!"

A few hours later Shepard moved on to another activity, dancing. The radio by the bed blared techno as she danced around by herself. Whenever she went to the club with Liara, she had only been able to do the 'Shepard shuffle'. With the end of all life in the galaxy looming in the future, Shepard decided to work on her dance skills.

The sudden appearance of Ashley standing on the landing startled Shepard. Quickly she shut the music off and acted as though nothing had happened. "Hey Ash, what's up?"

Ashley crossed her arms looking down at Shepard. "Traynor asked me to give her some extra training. She said it was your idea. What's this about?"

"Uh, yeah, it was," said Shepard having nearly forgotten already. "I think every crew member should learn how to fire an assault rifle."

"Shouldn't I be teaching a group instead of one person?" asked Ashley cocking an eyebrow at Shepard.

Shepard paused for a moment trying to think of an excuse. "Well... Traynor needs a lot of help. Just do it as a favor to me Ash. You've been spending too much time on the observation deck."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Lately you've been acting a little... glitchy. You tend to repeat yourself and sometimes you give me a blank stare and your mouth hangs open."

"I've been acting glitchy?!" Ashley walked up to Shepard putting a finger in her face. "What about you? A couple days ago you almost sent the crew into a panic. Now I find you here dancing around like a maniac."

"You're absolutely right Ash," said Shepard with an odd smirk.

"Uh, what?" asked Ashley off guard.

"You train Samantha for me and I'll go back to commanding the ship," said Shepard.

"O-kay," said Ashley nearly cracking a smile. Being in charge of the whole ship had been harder than she thought. Two days of command were already wearing on her. "Are you sure you're up that?"

"Yeah, I think I'm alright now," said Shepard as she threw on her N7 jacket. "To be honest with you; I've been halucinating lately. Sometimes when I talk to people their heads do a one-eighty."

"That's disturbing Shepard," said Ashley, she pulled Shepard in for a hug then whispered, "We're all worried about you."

"I know, and I appreciate your concern. When we go to the Citadel I'll stop by the hospital. I probably just have a bad case of post-traumatic-stress," said Shepard.

When they broke the hug Ashley added, "That wouldn't suprise me considering all of the shit we've been through."

"C'mon, let's go harass the crew," said Shepard leading Ashley back to the elevator.


	3. Chapter 3

The shooting range wasn't very romantic. More like a high security jail cell. The walls and floor were made of cold steel. The large window at the back of the room was thick and sound proof. A work bench at one corner displayed a variety of tools for tweaking weapons. To Samantha they looked like tools a dentist would have.

"Shepard tells me you're a terrible shot," said Ashley walking over to the bench. She wore her blue Alliance uniform. It was designed more for fashion than for practicality. Hence the high heel boots, tight pants, and form fitting jacket.

"Yeah," said Samantha pushing the ends of her index fingers together nervously. _I'm not that bad._ She hated the idea of lying to Ashley. In bootcamp her marksmanship score was average at best but didn't warrant this much attention. "I tend to look away when I pull the trigger."

"We'll fix that," said Ashley. The armory held a wide variety of weapons. For Samantha she selected a pistol; the most basic of firearms. "This should do."

"Thanks for taking the time to teach me," said Samantha as the pistol was handed to her.

"It's no problem. Just try to hit the target," said Ashley. The targets were adjusted to the closest setting.

Samantha took a deep breath and fired the weapon wildly. Slugs hit everything except the target. When the thermal clip was empty she smiled sheepishly at Ashley. _You're selling it too hard_ she thought.

"Good God, how did you make it through boot?" asked Ashley shaking her head.

"I got by on my technical skills," answered Samantha with a shrug.

"Here." Ashley took the gun from her and slapped in a fresh clip. "Just do as I say."

Ashley stood directly behind Samantha putting her chin on her shoulder. "Stand with your feet shoulder length apart." She took Sam's arms and adjusted them to hold the pistol properly out in front. "Good. Now look down the sights with one eye. Match the prong at the tip of the gun with the two near the top."

"Okay," said Samantha. The press of Ashley's body on her back combined with her breath in one ear gave her an electric feeling. Her hands couldn't hold the gun steady and her heart rate jumped.

"Don't be so nervous," said Ashley completely unaware of what she was doing to the specialist. Whispering in her ear she said, "Take a deep breath. Go nice and slow. Easy does it."

That didn't help at all.

The gun went off and Samantha missed completely. This time for real. "I'm sorry."

"Before we leave this room _you are_ going to hit that target," said Ashley tightening her grip on Sam's arms. "Again."

This time Samantha concentrated. Firing three shots, she managed to hit the target twice in the stomach and missed the third shot. Turning her head, she took note of Ashley's lips which were mere inches from her own. "How's that?"

"Outstanding," said Ashley leaving the specialist's side. "Now try it again on your own."

Samantha fired again hitting the target with each shot. Ashley clapped for her. "You're looking a hell of a lot better than five minutes ago. Maybe I should have been a drill sergeant."

"Sir, yes sir," said Samantha mockingly.

Ashley smiled shaking her head. "I think we'll end today's lesson. You did well. Come back tomorrow at the same time." Ashley took the weapon from the specialist and returned it to the work bench.

A flash of dissapointment hit Samantha. _Just when we were getting friendly._ An idea struck her just then. "Hey Ash, can I call you Ash?"

"Sure," said Ashley as she locked up the weapons cache.

"I was thinking..." began Samantha. She scratched the back of her head nervously. _Just ask her already._ "Maybe we could grab lunch tomorrow? You know, get to know each other better."

"I'll see if I have time," said Ashley. That's when she noticed something strange in Samantha's eyes. A longing look. Then there was something odd about her smile. As if there was more behind those perfectly white teeth. Samantha seemed so... cute.

"It'll be fun, I promise," said Samantha. She gave Ashley's hand an affectionate squeeze before saying, "Thanks again for the lesson."

"You're welcome," said Ashley feeling confused by Samantha's mannerism. She watched the specialist walk away. There was definitly something strange going on.

/

"So you've landed yourself a date, congratulations," said Shepard while typing out a report. Samantha had rocketed up to her cabin to spill all the details.

"It's not really a date, it's just lunch," said Samantha. Sitting up on the desk she looked over the model ships. "Your collection is coming along nicely."

"Ashley still doesn't know you're a lesbian, does she?" said Shepard making a smirk.

"Uh... no," Samantha sighed.

"That's good, in a way. Your sexual preference shouldn't come up in your first conversation. Ashley doesn't like surprises, so don't spring anything on her," explained Shepard without looking away from the vid screen.

"Any other advice?" asked Samantha biting her bottom lip.

"People like to talk about themselves. Ask about her history. Maybe you guys have something in common," said Shepard. Her face twisted in a confused manner. "Is is an hour, or a hour? The word starts with an H but makes a vowel noise. An hour sounds better but is it proper grammar?"

"You're a soldier, not a reporter. I think the Alliance can let you slide on grammatical errors," said Samantha. Sliding off the desk she paced around the room. "I could buy her a book of poems. A book of sexy poems."

Shepard shook her head. "I already bought her a book of her favorite poems..." She scoffed continuing, "Sexy poems? Really? You're going to donk it all up."

"Donk?"

"It's from this show I was watching, nevermind," muttered Shepard. "Anyway, get her something simple. A bracelet or some sort of trinket."

"If you say so," said Samantha. "I've never obsessed over dating someone like this before."

"Keep in mind it's not a date. Until you come out to her it's just a luncheon between two friends," said Shepard. Taking a break from typing she leaned back stretching out her arms.

"Right, what kind of report is that anyway," asked Traynor looking over her shoulder.

"Oh you know, just letting the Alliance know that Cerberus was turning refugees into husks in order to control them," said Shepard. The tone in her voice hinted at another break down. "Thousands of men, women, and children slaughtered for the Illusive Man's twisted scheme. Nothing to get stressed out over. You go have fun with Ashley."

"Okay commander, don't work too hard," said Samantha backing away slowly. Turning around she quickly headed for the elevator.


	4. Chapter 4

Samantha picked a modest cafe on the presidium. A dozen small tables occupied a rectangular plaza overhanging the lake. The furnishings were all made of dark oak adding an air of class. Random plants decorated the perimeter while providing some privacy. The clientel was a mixed bag of people, lawyers, accountants, students, and gamers taking advantage of the free extranet.

They agreed to meet at noon. It was eleven now. Samantha cursed herself for arriving so early. Choosing a table in the back, she decided to wait. Before leaving the ship she couldn't decide what to wear. Dress casual or professional? How much make-up to put on? Heels or sneakers? How much cleavage to show if at all? In the end she chose a light pink dress that was knee length. It didn't cling to every curve of her body the way Allers' did. The top displayed a modest amount of cleavage without being slutty. For shoes a pair of one inch heels would do. Last, she applied eyeliner, lip gloss, and a few sprays of perfume that left a faint sweet scent.

The hour passed by slowly. Samantha tapped her nails on the table only to realize she forgot to paint them. Sighing, she said, "It's always something."

"Oh you're early," said Ashley arriving ten minutes before noon. She wore her normal blue Alliance uniform. "I would've dressed more casual if I'd known you were going to."

"It's no big deal. I should have said something," said Samantha making an uneasy smile. She wondered what Ashley would look like in a dress.

"I'm starving, mind if we order right away?" asked Ashley.

"That's fine with me, lunch is on me by the way. So order whatever you want," said Samantha.

"That's sweet of you," said Ashley picking up a menu from the table's side bar. The blush on Sam's face went unnoticed.

"I can't believe the presidium is still smoking from the Cerberus attack," said Samantha. Making small talk felt awkward. It was as if every sentence needed to be forced out.

"Yeah, what the hell?" said Ashley, "How long does it take to patch up some bullet holes? This is nothing compared to the Sovereign attack."

"I wish I had been there. Sometimes I feel like a stranger on the ship," said Samantha. On several occasions she had been left out of a conversation for not having the same history. Those topics usually included, Sovereign, Virmire, the Collector Base, or anything geth related.

"Honestly, I feel like a stranger too," said Ashley resting her chin on one hand.

"Why?"

"I knew Shepard, Garrus, Tali, and Liara since the beginning but... they've changed over last few years. Shepard used to be calm and collected all the time. Now it's like she talks without stopping to think about what she's saying. Garrus and Tali have opened up a great deal. Then there's Liara, she isn't the naive little asari we found in the ruins anymore," explained Ashley, her eyes turning sadly towards the table. "I don't know what happened to them on that suicide mission, but I wish I'd been with them. I wish I hadn't turned my back on my friends."

Again Samantha felt stuck in a conversation she didn't know much about. "I doubt they look at it that way. Shepard only has good things to say about you. I'm sure you've changed too over the years."

"Yeah," said Ashley making a half smile. "Now I drink on the job and get along with aliens. Outstanding."

"Why _do_ you drink so much?" asked Samantha.

"I don't do it everyday," said Ashley sitting upright and holding her hands up in defense. "Sometimes the stress of this war gets to me. I feel helpless. There's only so much I can do with a rifle. The eggheads building the crucible are the ones who have a shot at winning the war."

An asari waitress stepped up to their table wearing a black polo and pants. Holding up an omni-tool she asked, "Ready to order?"

Samantha ordered a salad, feeling conscious of her 'date' across the table. Ashley didn't hold back ordering a half pound cheeseburger. While they waited Samantha asked about her family. She learned all about Ash's sisters, family service, and how she first met Shepard on Eden Prime.

"So tell me about you," said Ashley as she bit into her cheesebuger.

"Not much to tell really," said Samantha feeling her own story was boring by comparison.

"Don't give me that crap," said Ashley with her mouth full. "I told you my life story, let's hear yours."

"Here goes..." said Samantha taking a deep breath. "I was born on Horizion but I grew up in London, hence my perceived accent."

"It's cute," said Ashley off-hand.

"Thanks," said Samantha blushing deeply. _Was that a flirty remark?_

"Continue."

"Oh right," continued Samantha. "Eventually I went to Oxford University on an Alliance scholarship. During one summer break I went to visit my parents on Horizon when the Collectors attacked."

"Oh my God, I was there! I was the acting security chief for the colony. Do you remember seeing me at all?" asked Ashley.

"I'm afraid not, I just remember running around terrified of the little bugs stinging everyone," said Samantha.

"I guess you wouldn't then. Probably for the best, everyone there hated me. The survivors blamed me for the attack, saying I drew too much attention to the colony," explained Ashley.

"If I had seen someone as beautiful as... well, I shouldn't say, um..." A cold chill ran up Samantha's spine as she stumbled over her words. _Damn it, I said too much._

"Go on," said Ashley. Her face appeared amused.

Samantha bit her lip unable to look Ashley in the eye. "If I had seen someone as beautiful as you, I think I'd remember... that came out all wrong. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Ashley making a reassuring smile. "I think it's really sweet. So what do you find beautiful about me?"

_She must be teasing me._ Samantha didn't know where to begin. A moment passed before she answered, "Your hair, your eyes, lips," _your body_, "everything about you honestly. You probably think I'm weird, don't you?"

"No... but it's clear now that you're a lesbian," said Ashley. The shock on Samantha's face made her smirk.

"Did Shepard tell you?" asked Samantha. Her heart was pounding. This was a disaster. It wasn't supposed to come out like this. Maybe Shepard accidently let it slip during one of her episodes.

"The other day at the range I kinda got that vibe. Then this morning EDI approached me with one of her questions about life..."

"Oh God," said Samantha hiding her face in her hands.

Ashley's smirk turned to an evil grin. Watching Samantha writhe in embarrassment was entertaining. "She asked me, why do people of the same gender find attraction in one another?"

Still hiding behind her hands Samantha asked, "And what did you say?"

"I told her I didn't know why. EDI responded by asking why we were going on a date if I didn't know," said Ashley.

Samantha put down her hands. "I'm going to kill that nosey robot. I didn't want to tell you yet. I wanted you to get to know me first."

"I assume the shooting range was Shepard's idea and you're not actually that bad of a shot," said Ashley raising an eyebrow at Samantha.

"Yeah, terrible idea wasn't it? I did pass boot with an average rifleman score," said Samantha. Her fingers nervously traced the wood grain in the table.

"I'm honestly flattered you went through all the trouble," said Ashley as the waitress dropped off the bill. Before Samantha could lift a hand she grabbed the bill and paid it automatically with her omni-tool.

"I was going to pay!" said Samantha.

"Don't worry about it. You were trying to be nice and I spoiled the fun," said Ashley as she stood up from the table.

"You didn't spoil it. I still had a good time. Things just didn't go as I planned... This won't make things awkward between us will it?" Samantha walked with Ashley out into the Presidium.

"Not at all."

"I should get back to the ship then, there might be important messages stacking up," said Samantha, a look of defeat on her face.

A thought crossed Ashley's mind. She hesitated as Samantha walked away then said, "Wait a second, do you want to go for a walk with me?"

Samantha turned around, her eyes brightened. "Absolutely."

"C'mon, I'll take you by the embassy," said Ashley.

They made small talk on the way there. The peaceful aura of the presidium was ever present. The artificial lake lapped lazily at the white metallic siding. Birds from various planets flew from tree to tree. As they passed one landmark or another Ashley would break into a story about Shepard and the good 'ol days. She shared stories of scanning keepers, tracking a rogue AI, and how they stormed a strip club.

"... just when I was about to put the cuffs on Fist, Wrex blew his head off. I didn't like it but Shepard approved. Never thought I'd end up being friends with Wrex," explained Ashley as they rounded the krogan statue.

"Wow, not sure if I could have handled all of that," said Samantha. While they walked she kept eyeing Ashley's hand, wanting desperatly to hold it.

"My legs are getting tired, we should probably head home," said Ashley. She stopped and leaned against the railing.

"The Normandy has really grown on me. I tend to think of it as my home too," said Samantha. She joined her new friend by the railing.

"This one is bigger, and has a lot of bells and whistles, but I miss the old SR1. Someday I'd like to go visit the wreck site," said Ashley. Her eyes narrowed on the water below, searching to see if there were any fish.

"Can I ask you something?" Samantha looked up at the artificial sky biting her lip nervously.

"Of course."

"What do you think of me? I mean, do I still have a chance?"

Ashley bumped her shoulder into Samantha's saying, "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I'm curious about you. I've never done anything like this before so I don't want to get your hopes up," said Ashley. It was the most honest answer she could come up with.

"So you're saying there's a chance," said Samantha with a grin.

"A small chance," reminded Ashley.

"I'll take those odds. How about another lesson on the shooting range? You could teach me how to shoot a sniper rifle," suggested Samantha.

"Yeah, we can do that," said Ashley nearly laughing at Samantha's enthusiasm.


End file.
